Machine and method for paint-roller manufacturing with integrated final cutting online

ABSTRACT

A paint roller manufacturing system and method are described. In an embodiment, an inner strip of material and an outer strip of material are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. The inner strip of material and the outer strip of material each comprise material that results in a final paint roller which shrinks by less than 2.5 percent of the final paint roller axial length, or which has shrinkage that varies by less +/−0.1%, upon hardening and setting. An adhesive is applied to at least a portion of the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. A length of fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube, and compression is applied to the paint roller tube while advancing the paint roller tube in a direction parallel to the mandrel. A precision measuring or sensing device is used to control a cutting device causing the cutting device to cut the advancing paint roller tube into pre-selected lengths prior to the paint roller tube hardening and setting.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/261,227, filed Jan. 29, 2019, titled Machine and Method For Paint-Roller Manufacturing With Integrated Final Cutting Online, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD

The present invention relates in general to the field of paint roller manufacturing, and in particular to a novel machine and process for cutting operations in the manufacture of paint rollers.

BACKGROUND

Paint roller manufacturing typically involves multiple stages. By the late 1980s, and into the 1990 s commercially viable methods of manufacturing thermoplastic paint rollers were developed. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,195,242, 5,572,790 having a common inventor herewith. These patents describe continuous processes of manufacturing paint roller sticks. Sticks are several times the length of a finished paint roller. Thermoplastic paint rollers used heat or molten plastic materials in the process of manufacturing paint roller sticks. For example, many processes used molten polypropylene or molten polypropylene compounds with melting points in excess of 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sticks are typically 65 inches long when they come off a production line (e.g., as the end product of a continuous production line) at an elevated exterior temperature. For example, a stick may be cut from the output of a continuous processing line with an exterior temperatures that is greater than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or greater than 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Internal components of the sticks may remain much hotter than the exterior temperature when cut.

After manufacture, the sticks are allowed to cool, harden and set over time. During the cooling, hardening and setting processes, the sticks shrink, often substantially, e.g., more than an inch, or more than 1.5 inches. Indeed, it is likely that the principal reason for the historical selection of 65 inches as the industry standard stick length is the ability to cut seven 9-inch paint rollers (which is a very popular size) therefrom, after shrinkage. After the sticks are hardened and set, and thus have shrunk, they are cut down to final paint-roller lengths. In an embodiment, a, typical paint roller length may be 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 15, or 18 inches long. Other lengths (e.g., metric lengths) may be used as well. As an illustration, a 65-inch stick that has hardened and set may have shrunk by well over an inch, but it can still be cut into to seven 9-inch paint rollers. Other typical stick sizes may be used (i.e., other than 65 inches) for making 9-inch or other roller sizes, however, all sticks are sized to allow for substantial shrinkage and result in waste in the cutting process.

Prior to the invention described herein it was well known to persons skilled in the art that cutting a paint roller stick into paint rollers of final length should not be done until all or substantially all of the (axial and radial) shrinkage has occurred. Thus, typically, final cutting of paint rollers would not be performed until the stick has hardened and set. For example, final cutting may be performed when the exterior surface of the stick has a temperature of less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit or less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the various views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a top view illustrating a machine and two-strip process for manufacturing paint rollers in accordance with an embodiment wherein paint rollers are manufactured and cut to final length in a single process.

FIG. 2 shows a top view illustrating a machine and one-strip process for manufacturing paint rollers in accordance with an embodiment wherein paint rollers are manufactured and cut to final length in a single process.

FIG. 3 shows a paint roller tube traveling through a machine past a series of notches into which one or more sensors and/or switches are inserted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description. References to one or an embodiment in the present disclosure are not necessarily references to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

In a two-strip embodiment of the process, an inner strip of material and an outer strip of material are wound about a mandrel in offset relation, the inner strip of material and the outer strip of material each comprising polypropylene or a polypropylene compound including polypropylene and at least one filler.

In an embodiment, the materials used (e.g., the proportions of polypropylene to filler) are selected to result in a shrinkage (between the cut length of paint roller and the final hardened-and-set length) of less than 2.5%. In an embodiment, the materials used should be selected to reduce roller-to-roller variation in shrinkage to within manufacturing tolerances, such as to less than one tenth of 1 percent (0.1%). In an embodiment, the materials comprise a combination of calcium carbonate and blend of polypropylene, with the calcium carbonate ranging from 10-70% by weight. In an embodiment, the materials comprise a combination of calcium carbonate and blend of polypropylene, with the calcium carbonate ranging from 50-66% by weight.

In an embodiment, the materials used are selected to result in a shrinkage of less than 0.6% or 0.05 inches for a 9″ paint roller. In an embodiment, the materials used should be selected to reduce roller-to-roller variation in shrinkage to within manufacturing tolerances, such as to less than 0.013% or 0.001 inches for a 9″ roller. In an embodiment, the materials used are selected to result in a shrinkage of less than 1.2% or 0.1 inches for a 9″ paint roller. In an embodiment, the materials used should be selected to reduce roller-to-roller variation in shrinkage to within manufacturing tolerances, such as to less than 0.026% or 0.002 inches for a 9″ roller. In an embodiment, the materials used are selected to result in a shrinkage of less than 2.4% or 0.2 inches for a 9″ paint roller. In an embodiment, the materials used should be selected to reduce roller-to-roller variation in shrinkage to within manufacturing tolerances, such as to less than 0.052%, or 0.004 inches, for a 9″ roller. Applying the foregoing to an 18 inch paint roller, in an embodiment, the materials used should be selected to result in a shrinkage of less than 0.11 inches or less than 0.22 inches, or less than 0.33 inches. In an embodiment, the materials (e.g., proportions of polypropylene to filler) are selected to result in a final paint roller shrinkage which is repeatable. In an embodiment, the materials are selected to result in a final paint roller shrinkage which is repeatable within normal manufacturing tolerance (i.e., that the finished paint rollers manufacture with the materials harden and set to the finished length within manufacturing tolerance.)

Shrinkage also occurs radially, in addition to axially as discussed above. In other words, there is some reduction in paint roller diameter due to shrinkage. Rollers manufactured with a compound that includes a filler, as described herein, shrink less than traditional polypropylene-only rollers. Polypropylene-only rollers are typically made with an internal diameter of 1.52″, and shrink to a finished internal diameter of 1.485″, which represents a shrinkage of about 2.3%. Rollers manufactured with a compound that includes a filler are typically made with an internal diameter of 1.5″, and they shrink to 1.485″, which represents a shrinkage of about 1%. Mini rollers, which typically have a length of 4.5 inches and a diameter of 0.5 inch or ¾ inch, or a length of 6.5 inches and a diameter of 0.5 inch or ¾ inch, are subject to similar shrinkage. Therefore, rollers of all sizes made with such compounded material shrink less, typically more than 50% less, than paint rollers made solely from the more traditional polypropylene material.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive is applied to at least a portion of the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel, a length of fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a continuous paint roller tube, and compression is applied to the paint roller tube. The paint roller tube may be cut into pre-specified lengths inline with the manufacturing process prior to the paint roller tube hardening and setting. In an embodiment, a precision measuring and/or sensing device is used to control a cutting device so as to cut the paint roller tube into pre-specified lengths prior to the paint roller tube hardening and setting. In an embodiment, a measuring and/or sensing device controls a cutting device which cuts the continuous paint roller tube into pre-specified lengths inline with the paint roller tube manufacturing process prior to the paint roller tube hardening and setting. The cut lengths of paint roller tubes are subsequently allowed to harden and set. In an embodiment, the hardened and set cut paint roller tube is the desired length of a paint roller. In an embodiment, the hardened and set cut paint roller tube is the desired length of a paint roller, within normal manufacturing variation.

FIG. 1 illustrates a two-strip embodiment of a paint roller manufacturing system 101 for implementing the above process. The system includes a cover dispenser 122 that continuously dispenses a windable width of paint roller cover fabric 125, the paint roller cover fabric having a back side and an applicator side. The paint roller cover fabric 125 may comprise a conventional cover fabric or a coated fabric that has been coated offline or online, as is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 9,956,719 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and shares a common inventor herewith.

A mandrel 121 is provided, and may be cooled by a mandrel cooler 133 so as to facilitate movement of strips around the mandrel in a helical manner without adhesion of the strips to the mandrel and with lower resistance.

First and second strip dispensers 116, 118 are configured to continuously dispense first and second windable widths of strip material 117, 119. A guide system (not shown) may be used to guide the first and second strip coming from the first and second strip dispensers such that it is wound about the mandrel and to guide a paint roller cover fabric to be wound about the first and second strips 117, 119. In an embodiment, the paint roller fabric cover may be coated. In an embodiment, the paint roller fabric cover may be perforated. In an embodiment, the paint roller fabric cover may be coated and perforated. The second strip 119 and/or the first strip 117 may be a solid strip, a perforated strip or an embossed strip (e.g., having recessed dimples or other recessed features).

In an embodiment, the cover fabric 125 has been perforated in order to increase adhesion of the fabric to the outer strip in a two-strip process, or to the sole strip in a single-strip process. Methods and devices for perforating cover fabrics are taught, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/103,550 filed Aug. 14, 2018, which shares a common inventor herewith and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Paint roller fabric can either be perforated in the paint roller manufacturing process, or at any time prior to the fabric being wound around the mandrel, such as when the fabric is manufactured. In an embodiment, perforating paint roller fabric may provide for greater adhesion and/or a reduction in shedding (i.e., the amount of fibers that are dislodged during the paint roller manufacturing process or the process of using a finished paint roller).

In an embodiment, an applicator 115 is configured to apply adhesive (which may be glue, a polymer, or a compound polymer with or without a filler material) on substantially all of the outer side of the first and second windable strips 117, 119 upstream of a location where the conventional or coated paint roller cover fabric 125 is wound about the first and second strips. In an embodiment, the adhesive is in a molten state or a liquified state when applied. In an embodiment, the adhesive is molten or liquified polypropylene. In an embodiment, the adhesive is molten or liquified compound which includes polypropylene. In an embodiment, the adhesive is molten or liquified compound which includes polypropylene and calcium carbonate.

In an embodiment, a compressing and advancing device 129 is provided for applying inward pressure normal to the mandrel on a conventional or coated paint roller fabric cover 125 after it is wound about the first and second strips 117, 119, and for advancing the first and second windable strips and the paint roller fabric cover along the mandrel 121. As discussed above, the paint roller fabric cover may be conventional, coated, perforated, or coated and perforated.

In an embodiment, the machine includes an extruder 103, which may be configured for extrusion of an adhesive material through a die 105. In an embodiment, the material is molten when it is extruded through the die 105 and the molten material is pushed through hose 111 to the strip-coating adhesive applicator 115. The strip-coating applicator 115 may comprise any device for applying liquid adhesive to a fabric, including a die head, sprayer, brush, extruder, or the like.

The inner strip 117 and outer strip 119 of material are helically wound about the mandrel 121 in offset relation. In an embodiment, the offset relation is approximately 50%, that is, the center of one strip wraps at a location under or over (as the case may be) the middle of the other strip. In an embodiment, the offset relation is at least 5% to prevent the seams of the inner strip and the outer strip from aligning. A 5% offset relation refers to having the seam at least 5% of the width of the strip away from the edge of the strip. In an embodiment, the entire inner surface of the inner strip 117 contacts the mandrel 121. In an embodiment, no portion of the outer strip 119 contacts the mandrel 121.

In an embodiment, the inner strip 117 and the outer strip 119 comprise a material that, for a given roller length, will result in repeatable shrinkage due to hardening and setting. In an embodiment, the inner strip 117 and the outer strip 119 comprise a material that, for a given roller length, will result in repeatable shrinkage due to hardening and setting, within a manufacturing tolerance.

In an embodiment, the outer surface of the inner strip 117 and the outer surface of the outer strip 119 are coated with adhesive by the strip-coating applicator 115. In an embodiment (not shown), the strip-coating applicator 115 comprises two separate strip-coating applicators, one to coat each of the two strips 117, 119. Thus, such coating of the outside of each of the two strips may be performed by the same applicator or, in another embodiment, by two separate applicators. As shown in FIG. 1, coating of the strip or strips is performed by a single applicator. In an embodiment, only the outer surface of the inner strip 117 is coated with adhesive by the strip-coating applicator 115. In an embodiment, the strip-coating applicator 115 applies adhesive to either the outer surface of the inner strip or the inner surface of the outer strip such that the adhesive ends out between the inner and outer strips after it is applied. In an embodiment, the strip-coating applicator 115 applies adhesive to either the outer surface of the inner strip or the inner surface of the outer strip such that the adhesive ends out between the inner and outer strips after it is applied, and liquid adhesive applied by an optional fabric coating applicator is not set when the outer strip 119 and the fabric cover 125 come together on the mandrel. In an embodiment, the strip-coating applicator 115 applies adhesive to either the outer surface of the outer strip or the inner surface of the fabric cover 125 such that the adhesive ends out between the outer strip and fabric after it is applied. In an embodiment, a portion of the outer surface (rather than the entire outer surface) of the outer strip 119 (or the only strip in a single-strip embodiment) is coated with adhesive. In an embodiment, the entire outer surface of the outer strip 119 is coated with adhesive. The strip-coating applicator 115, in each case, may be configured to apply a contiguous or non-contiguous coat of material to the strip. Examples of a non-contiguous coat include, without limitation, a mesh of material, or stripes of coating material. In addition, the strip-coating application may be configured to apply additional material, such as a mesh material in addition to a coating material. In an embodiment, a mesh material and a contiguous coat of material are applied by the strip coating applicator 115. In an embodiment, the mesh material is a resin. In an embodiment, the mesh material is an adhesive mesh. In an embodiment, only a portion of the outer surface of the inner strip 117 is coated with adhesive. In an embodiment, the entire outer surface of the inner strip 117 is coated with adhesive.

In an embodiment, the strips and/or adhesive are made from or comprise polypropylene. In an embodiment, the strips and/or adhesive comprise a compound of polypropylene and a filler. In an embodiment, the filler comprises calcium carbonate. A variety of formulations for strips and/or adhesive may be found, e.g., in Applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/789,723 filed Jul. 1, 2015 and the references cited therein, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. It is not necessary to use strips of identical materials. It is similarly not necessary to employ an adhesive of similar materials to one or both of the strips.

In an embodiment, the material used for both or either of the strips may comprise, for example: (1) commonly-available polypropylene; (2) a blend of polypropylene, with an effective Melt Flow Rate (MFR) of 2-20 g/10 min.; (3) a combination of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and Polypropylene, with CaCO3 ranges used from 10-70% CaCO3; or (4) a combination of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and a blend of polypropylenes, with CaCO3 ranges used from 10-70% CaCO3.

In an embodiment, the material used for the adhesive may comprise, for example: (1) commonly-available polypropylene; (2) a blend of polypropylene, with an effective Melt Flow Rate (MFR) of 20-180 g/10 min.; (3) a combination of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and Polypropylene, with CaCO3 ranges used from 10-70% CaCO3; or (4) a combination of calcium carbonate and blend of polypropylene (having a high MFR ranging from 700-1400 g/10 min), with CaCO3 ranges from 10-70% CaCO3 by weight, for an effective total MFR of 20-180 g/10 min. In an embodiment, the adhesive comprises a combination of calcium carbonate and blend of polypropylene, the combination having an effective MFR within the range of 20-180 g/10 min. In an embodiment, the adhesive comprises a combination of calcium carbonate and blend of polypropylene, the combination having an effective MFR within the range of 80-170 g/10 min. In an embodiment, the adhesive comprises a combination of calcium carbonate and blend of polypropylene, the combination having an effective MFR within the range of 160-175 g/10 min.

Once the component parts (e.g., strips, adhesive, cover) are wound about the mandrel 121, the in-process paint roller cover material tube 127 may be driven by a motorized compressing and advancing device. In an embodiment, the in-process paint roller cover material tube 127 is driven by a compressing and advancing device comprising a belt 129 driven by a motorized roller 137. Operation of the motorized roller 137 may be controlled by a process controller 138 in one-way or two-way communication with the motorized roller 137.

The formed paint roller cover material tube 127 is advanced along the mandrel 121 by the belt 129 to a cutting device 131 that cuts the tube into lengths. The cutting device 131 may be, e.g., a rotary cutter, a flyaway saw, a traveling saw, a stationary cutter, or other suitable cutter or chopper. In an embodiment, the cutting device is under the control of the process controller 138.

The process controller receives a signal from a precision measuring and/or sensing device 133, the signal indicating that the tube 127 has advanced to a particular point either along or after the mandrel 121. The precision measuring and/or sensing device 133 may be, e.g., a mechanical, optical, electromagnetic, Hall effect, piezoelectric, or magnetic sensor capable of measuring a desired length of the tube 127, or detecting or determining a location of the tube 127 with sufficient precision, accuracy, and speed to allow the cutting device 131 to cut the tube 127 such that once set, the cut lengths result in tubes in a desired length (e.g., a paint roller length) within a manufacturing tolerance. In an embodiment, such tolerance is less than 0.001 inches per final paint roller length. In an embodiment, such tolerance is less than +/−0.002 inches. In an embodiment, such tolerance is +/−0.004 inches. In an embodiment, such tolerance comprises shrinkage of less than 0.05 inches per final paint roller length. In an embodiment, such tolerance comprises shrinkage of less than 0.10 inches per final paint roller length. In an embodiment, such tolerance comprises shrinkage of less than 0.20 inches per final paint roller length. In an embodiment, such tolerance comprises shrinkage which varies by less than 0.004 inches per final paint roller length. In an embodiment, such tolerance comprises shrinkage which varies by less than 0.8 percent of the final paint roller length.

The precision measuring and/or sensing device 133 is illustratively shown in FIG. 1 downstream from the cutting device 131, however, the precision measuring and/or sensing device 133 may be located at virtually any part of the machine where there is movement proportional to the manufacturing process. In an embodiment, the precision measuring and/or sensing device 133 is located at a part of the machine past which the tube 127 is moving. In an embodiment, the precision measuring and/or sensing device 133 is located at a part of the machine past which one or more of the strips 117, 119 or cover 125 are moving. In an embodiment, the precision measuring and/or sensing device comprises a shaft encoder on the shaft of motorized roller 137. In an embodiment, the precision measuring and/or sensing device comprises a shaft encoder on the shaft of one or more of rollers 116, 118, and 122. In an embodiment, the precision measuring and/or sensing device comprises a wheel in contact with either strips 117, 119, or cover 125, or any combination of those components. In an embodiment, the precision measuring and/or sensing device comprises a wheel in contact with the tube 127.

The process controller 138 is in communication with a selection interface 141, which may comprise hard buttons and/or a touch interface with soft buttons, that allow selection of final paint roller length. The selection interface 141 is in direct or indirect communication with the cutting device 131 and/or the precision measuring device 133, and is configured to allow an operator to select the final paint roller length from one of a plurality of preset lengths to another of the plurality of preset lengths. Examples of such preset lengths include, e.g., three inches, four inches, four and a half inches, six inches, six and a half inches, seven inches, nine inches, twelve inches, fifteen inches, and eighteen inches. Based on such selection, and the signal from the precision measuring device 133, the process controller 138 causes the cutting device 131 to be actuated with a specific timing that results in the length of the final paint rollers 143 to be at or near a length selected using the selection interface 141. The functions of the process controller may be incorporated in whole or in part in other sensing, detecting, or computational components already in use elsewhere in the process.

Once rollers have been cut via the above-described inline cutting process, they can be conveyed via a conveyor 145 to a finishing machine 147 where they are finished. In an embodiment, finishing includes beveling the edges of the final roller, trimming excess fabric, and removing any detritus/debris. Finishing may include any other process that a manufacturer requires before rollers are placed into packaging, and may include placement into packaging. In an embodiment, conveyor 145 comprises a conveyor belt with short walls on either side.

The rollers can then be loaded into a loading mechanism such as a magazine. The process may further utilize an apparatus that evenly distributes the rollers to a number of downstream finishing machines, based on various methods used to sense the current capacity/queue at each of the machines. Various methods can be utilized for assessing how “busy” a finishing machine is. Such methods include, e.g., receiving and processing signals from electromechanical sensors, optical sensors, or operator input.

In an embodiment, the finishing machine 147 includes a queuing station and an indexing device. Once a roller has been deposited at the queuing station of the finishing machine, the finishing process can begin. The indexing device is used to finish rollers using functions performed at each of a plurality of different stations selected per the particular manufacturer's finishing requirements.

There are two main types of indexing machines, single-turntable machines and dual-turntable machines. Single-turntable indexing machines typically utilize a single rotary turntable that turns a roller through a plurality of stations. For example, a six-station machine would load, spin, buff, bevel, spin, and unload a roller. Spinning is used to remove excess particles from fibers. One of the main issues with a single-turntable process is that it typically is unable to easily process a roller on both ends (i.e., the end of the roller that is closest to the indexing turntable is hard to reach). A dual-turntable indexing machine, on the other hand, allows rollers to be finished at both ends, using two sets of turntables. One example of a machine of this type uses two eight-station turntables that would each load, buff, bevel, shear, clean ends, spin, (an ancillary action), and unload the roller. Either type of finishing machine is also capable of tucking in excess fabric on one end of the roller to increase the surface area of the roller that can be exposed to paint, or for aesthetic purposes.

As an alternative to or in addition to using a finishing machine, roller fabric can be pre-finished by cleaning, shearing, vacuuming, de-linting, or otherwise manipulating it inline before it is wound around a mandrel or otherwise applied to a core as a part of any paint roller manufacturing process. The fabric can be treated either before it is applied to a core, or even after the fabric has been applied to the core, and before the roller cores are cut to desired lengths. Finishing processes other than beveling and spinning can be performed prior to roller cores being cut to desired lengths.

In an embodiment, roller cores are marked with a day/date code or other identifying codes/marks on the inside portion of the core. In an embodiment, marking can be accomplished by laser marking strip material 117, 119 (composed of any material) before it is wound around the mandrel, or by laser marking the core of any tube after rollers are cut to length. The printing/laser marking/burning of the code can also take place during the finishing process, potentially as a separate station of the process, or this function can be incorporated into a finishing station of the finishing machine 147.

In an embodiment, a method for manufacturing paint rollers includes winding an inner strip of material and an outer strip of material about a mandrel in offset relation, the inner strip of material and the outer strip of material each comprising polypropylene or polypropylene and at least one filler in proportions of polypropylene to filler that result in final paint roller shrinkage of less than 0.015 inches per inch of final paint roller length or less than 0.87 percent of the final paint roller length. An adhesive is applied to at least a portion of the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. A length of fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube, and compression is applied to the paint roller tube. A precision measuring or sensing device is used to control a cutting device so as to cut the paint roller tube into final paint roller lengths online with the paint roller tube manufacturing process and prior to the paint roller tube being allowed to harden and set. In an embodiment, the proportions of polypropylene to filler may result in final paint roller shrinkage of less than 0.010 inches per inch of final paint roller length, less than 0.006 inches per inch of final paint roller length, or less than 0.004 inches per inch of final paint roller length.

The methods and system are described above in the context of a two-strip process for manufacturing paint rollers. One skilled in the art will recognize that the same or similar methods can be used in a single-strip process, a three-strip process, or the like, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

It is within the scope and spirit of the inventions described herein that a continuous process of manufacturing paint rollers employs a cutter to cut the in-process semi-finished continuous tube of paint roller material prior to setting. It is also within the scope and spirit of the inventions described herein that the length of material that is cut from the continuous tube of paint roller material includes the length of the desired finished paint roller plus a predetermined amount or range of shrinkage which will permit the cut length to harden and set to a finished length within a manufacturing tolerance. In an embodiment, the predetermined amount of shrinkage may be determined empirically, by operating the process over a known cut size, or a range of cut sizes and measuring the cutting results after they have hardened and set to substantially their final size. In an embodiment, the predetermined amount of shrinkage may be determined through calculation from known shrinkage properties of each of the relevant constituent materials. Despite the hundreds of millions of thermoplastic paint rollers made each year for at least the last twenty years or more, no known paint rollers have been continuously manufactured to finished length solely by cutting the continuously manufactured paint roller tube to a prespecified larger size, and allowing the cut section to harden and set, and thereby shrink. Regardless of the method of determining the predetermined amount of shrinkage, using an enlarged cut size to accommodate the predetermined shrinkage has heretofore not been taught or suggested.

FIG. 2 shows a single-strip embodiment 201 of the two-strip machine and process shown in FIG. 1. This embodiment generally operates as per the descriptions of FIG. 1 above, except that a single strip 117 is used instead of the dual strips 117 and 119.

With respect to the process controller 138, the selection interface 141, and the precision measuring device 133 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and discussed above, it is noted that roller lengths can also be measured via a device that uses a mechanical switch that is triggered by the forward motion of the roller tube, or the presence of the roller tube. The mechanical switch, or any other apparatus that is used to measure the presence of the roller, can be positioned at arbitrary or preset lengths in order to allow operators to quickly change the desired length of the roller tube between preset desired lengths. Markers, mechanical stops, and/or other physical or virtual demarcation devices can be placed inline with respect to roller tube travel, or parallel or perpendicular to the direction of roller tube travel. Physical/virtual preset length stops or other demarcations can be used in conjunction with or in lieu of a selection device and/or a processor controller. An embodiment of such method and system is illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 shows a paint roller tube 127 traveling through a machine past a series of preset notches 301, 302, 303, 304 into which one or more sensors 133 is inserted. The preset notches 301, 302, 303, 304 correspond to different paint roller lengths, e.g., three inch, six inch, nine inch and 12 inch. In an embodiment the sensor 133 is a “flipper” switch is triggered whenever the roller tube is pushed against it via forward motion. The switch 133 can be positioned at preset or arbitrary intervals that allow the operator to quickly change the switch's position between desired lengths. In this manner, the triggering/sensing device that is utilized can be positioned precisely where the manufacturer desires to position it. Instead of using a switch, an optoelectronic array, Hall effect device, or other suitable sensor or measuring device could be used.

In addition to embodiments wherein a trigger is moved, other embodiments can utilize radar or other non-contact measuring devices to measure a length of roller tube as it passes by the scanning area of the manufacturing system. The length can be continually assessed, and once the device decides that the length is adequate as per operator instructions, the device then sends a signal to cut. All devices can either communicate with an intermediary process controller, or directly with the cutting device itself.

Advantages of the present invention over the present inventor's prior patents include, but are not limited to the following. It should be noted that some but not all embodiments of the present invention provide each of these advantages. The present invention can provide a single-step in-line process for manufacturing a paint roller using inline cutting, rather than a two-step offline process, thereby reducing the amount of time, resources, labor, machinery, and waste materials required to produce paint rollers in final lengths. Machines operating according to the present invention can be configured to use less expensive molten material that includes one or more fillers. In addition to not requiring additional labor, space, and time to deal with roller tubes as opposed to rollers cut to desired final lengths, other benefits include:

-   -   If roller tubes are constructed of materials that reduce roller         tube shrinkage relative to materials that experience greater         shrinkage (as described above), waste is reduced, and thus, less         material is required to make each paint roller. Historically, 65         inch tubes were produced because up to one inch of shrinkage was         expected, and because one inch of material was needed to         accommodate imprecision in the cutting process. Although using a         compounded polypropylene material reduced shrinkage, it did not         reduce waste because manufacturers have continued to manufacture         paint rollers by producing 65″ sticks. Indeed, persons of         ordinary skill in the art failed to recognize the benefits of         the present invention, which may dramatically reduce waste.     -   Eliminating the need for recutting—that is, to cut rollers to         desired lengths from sticks—saves both capital and labor costs         associated with owning and operating the equipment needed to cut         sticks into paint rollers of exact lengths. Eliminating the need         for recutting also saves the cost of storage space that was         taken up by intermediary storage of roller tubes and the         recutting equipment.     -   Overall manufacturing time decreases with the elimination of         recutting paint roller tubes.

It is noted that the last two benefits accrue to anyone that uses inline paint roller cutting with any paint roller manufacturing process, including spiral-winding processes using any strip and resin material, and any non-spiral-winding processes. With respect to non-spiral winding processes, the methods and systems described herein can be used for inline cutting with processes such as those that use extruded tubes. Extruded tubes can be pre-fabricated before the paint roller manufacturing process or extruded as part of the paint roller manufacturing process. This includes extruded tubes that rotate as they are made inline.

Reference in this specification to “an embodiment” or “the embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least an embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.

As used herein, and especially within the claims, ordinal terms such as first and second are not intended, in and of themselves, to imply sequence, time or uniqueness, but rather are used to distinguish one claimed construct from another. In some uses where the context dictates, these terms may imply that the first and second are unique. For example, where an event occurs at a first time, and another event occurs at a second time, there is no intended implication that the first time occurs before the second time. However, where the further limitation that the second time is after the first time is presented in the claim, the context would require reading the first time and the second time to be unique times. Similarly, where the context so dictates or permits, ordinal terms are intended to be broadly construed so that the two identified claim constructs can be of the same characteristic or of different characteristic.

The above embodiments and preferences are illustrative of the present invention. It is neither necessary, nor intended for this patent to outline or define every possible combination or embodiment. The inventor has disclosed sufficient information to permit one skilled in the art to practice at least one embodiment of the invention. The above description and drawings are merely illustrative of the present invention and that changes in components, structure and procedure are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. For example, elements and/or steps described above and/or in the following claims in a particular order may be practiced in a different order without departing from the invention. Thus, while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers, the continuous method comprising: using a precision measuring or sensing device to control a cutting device causing the cutting device to cut an advancing paint roller tube into pre-selected lengths prior to the paint roller tube hardening and setting; and allowing the cut lengths to harden and set into final paint rollers having final paint roller lengths.
 2. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, wherein the final paint roller lengths measured axially are three inches, four inches, four and a half inches, six inches, six and a half inches, seven inches, nine inches, twelve inches, fifteen inches, or eighteen inches.
 3. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, further comprising: winding at least one strip of material about a mandrel, the at least one strip of material comprising a polymeric material and a filler.
 4. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 3, wherein the polymeric material comprises polypropylene.
 5. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 3, wherein the filler comprises calcium carbonate.
 6. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 5, wherein the filler is present in an amount of from about 10 to about 70% by weight.
 7. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 3, wherein the polymeric material and the filler are present in a ratio that results in a final paint roller which shrinks axially by less than 2.5 percent of the final paint roller axial length upon hardening and setting.
 8. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 3, wherein the polymeric material and the filler are present in a ratio that results in final paint roller shrinkage which varies by less than 0.1 percent per final paint roller axial length.
 9. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 3, wherein the polymeric material and the filler are present in a ratio that results in final paint roller shrinkage of less than 0.05 percent per final paint roller axial length.
 10. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, further comprising: applying an adhesive to at least a portion of the at least one strip as it is wound about the mandrel.
 11. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 10, wherein the adhesive comprises a combination of the polymeric material and the filler.
 12. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 11, wherein, the combination has an effective melt flow rate (MFR) within the range of from about 80 to about 170 g/10 min.
 13. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, wherein the cutting device comprises a rotary cutter.
 14. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, wherein the cutting device comprises a travelling saw or a stationary saw.
 15. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, wherein the step of using the precision device to control the cutting device results in cutting the paint roller tube into desired axial lengths with a tolerance lower than +/−0.01 inches per final paint roller length.
 16. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, wherein the step of using the precision device to control the cutting device results in cutting the paint roller tube into desired axial lengths online with a tolerance lower than +/−0.005 inches.
 17. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, wherein the step of using the precision device to control the cutting device results in cutting the paint roller tube into desired axial lengths online with a tolerance of +/−0.0025 inches.
 18. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, wherein the step of using the precision device to control the cutting device is performed when an exterior surface of the advancing paint roller tube has a temperature that is more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
 19. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, further comprising a step of changing the pre-selected lengths from one of a plurality of preset lengths to another of the plurality of preset lengths by operating a device in operative communication with the cutting device or the precision device.
 20. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of preset lengths comprises at least two of: three inches, four inches, four and a half inches, six inches, six and a half inches, seven inches, nine inches, twelve inches, fifteen inches, and eighteen inches.
 21. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 1, further comprising: winding a length of fabric about the at least one strip to form a paint roller tube; and applying compression to the paint roller tube while advancing the paint roller tube in a direction parallel to the mandrel.
 22. The continuous method for manufacturing paint rollers according to claim 21, wherein the step of winding a length of fabric about at least the outer strip comprises winding a length of coated fabric about at least the outer strip. 